Do Socks Help You Orgasm? Here's Why This Random Trick Actually Leads To Hotter Sex

When it comes to hooking up, there's so much information out there that it can be difficult to know what to believe. Some claims have been scientifically proven to be true, while others aren't necessarily false, there just isn't enough data on the subject yet. You may have heard people say that socks help you orgasm, but is this just another popular myth, or is there actual data to back up the claim? I once made fun of a guy for leaving his socks on while we were hooking up. I felt kind of bad about it, especially after he told me seriously that he read an article about how having warm feet makes it easier to reach climax.

So it turns out that wearing socks during sex isn't just a weird thing people do for no reason. Some people believe it will help them finish. It's definitely funny seeing someone fully naked with only their feet covered, but it could be worth it if it means you're both more likely to feel satisfied. And you can buy cute socks, so it's barely even a sacrifice. Speaking of sacrifices, I did some research — no, not that kind of research — to find out if this theory is legit. Here's what I learned.

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In 2005, a study was done that looked at individuals' brains while they were climaxing. Professor Gert Holstege and his colleagues at The University of Groningen in the Netherlands asked 13 heterosexual couples between the ages of 19 and 49 to participate in the experiment. The researchers looked at the difference between male and female orgasms through a series of tests that included doing a brain scan on one partner while the other stimulated them until they climaxed. The researchers also conducted scans while the subjects faked orgasms.

It was a staged environment, and the temperature may have affected the results. At first, only 50 percent of the couples achieved orgasm. Thinking maybe they were cold, Holstege gave everyone socks to wear during the next round of the experiment. While wearing the socks, about 80 percent successfully climaxed. That's a 30 percent increase, just from adding socks to the equation.

Environment is key when having sex, especially for women. Holstege found that the reason socks tend to boost the female sex drive is because they help women to feel safe and secure. If you're trying to reach climax, you'll have a tougher time if the parts of your brain that cause fear and anxiety are active. As you likely know, you need to be in the right state of mind to have an orgasm. Wearing socks can make you feel cozy and warm, which relaxes your body and mind and makes it easier to orgasm.

Beyond just keeping you warm, wearing socks helps the blood vessels in your feet dilate, which is also something that happens when you're getting ready to fall asleep. This allows for better blood flow and leads to more satisfying orgasms. Avoid getting cold feet (literally) by keeping your socks on when you're having sex, just like you might do before bed.

As a reminder, you should probably change into a fresh pair of socks if you plan to get it on. There are obvious sanitary reasons behind this decision. Plus, rocking the socks you had on your feet or in your shoes all day isn't exactly going to be sexy — or even pleasant for your partner.

While this is the only major experiment that's been done on the subject, the results make a pretty clear argument for the fact that wearing socks during sex can help you achieve climax more easily. If a pair of socks is all it takes for you to have more and better orgasms, you might as well try it on for size.

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